Frankfurt Book Fair

The Frankfurt Book Fair is an annual fixture on the calendar of book publishers and authors from all over the world – significant deals are done and major new releases promoted. I have been to the Frankfurt Music Fair many times, but this was my first visit to the Book Fair. Schott had taken a stand and I was invited to launch Rock & Pop Piano Basics, a new book on playing pop piano styles which is initially a German-only publication.  

On day 1, I gave a presentation on this book,  on the stand, which had been set up nicely with a grand piano and a great little sound system. No, I didn’t actually present in German (I hope that will come!), but the music styles and the look of the book attracted a good number of people to stop and listen. Here I am in full flight: 

The pop book looks like it could be very popular and will soon be available in French and English. My able assistant in Frankfurt, Cornelia Angelov, has already been playing from the book at home and has found it both accessible and effective for a relative non-pop piano player.

Later that day, I played, still on the stand, a selection from right across the Microjazz series. This was to encourage passing traffic to stop and created a nice backdrop to the quiet hum of the fair. Here I am at the piano, in what looks like some kind of reverie:

The following day I played at the beginning and end (and in the middle) of a panel discussion about the effect of music on intelligence. The audience found it engaging (the panel discussion I mean) and the musical interludes were well received, particularly a pop ballad from Rock & Pop Piano Basics.

This was a low-key event, but I think worthwhile for further raising my profile in Germany and also for drawing people’s attention to one of my largest (160 pages) new books. Thanks to Schott Mainz for asking me to do this and for being, as always, such gracious hosts.